


Polar

by ElaOfAsgard



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/F, Fluff, Motherhood, but also Soft Hela too, canon-compliant Hela, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-19 07:01:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29746755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElaOfAsgard/pseuds/ElaOfAsgard
Summary: Hela worries that she isn't the kind of mother her son needs.
Relationships: Hela (Marvel)/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 27





	Polar

**Author's Note:**

> Dramatic title is dramatic.
> 
> Clearly, I have babies on the brain lately.
> 
> This is a tumblr prompt fill for the request: "Headcanons for Hela having a son that’s the opposite of her: sensitive, no interest in war, child of the arts and literature. Somewhat reserved. Soft spoken. A little premature and somewhat delicate in structure. I’ve thought about this a lot lol!"
> 
> Enjoy~

You had known from the moment that your son was born that he and Hela were going to be as different as night and day.

He had come early, and so tangled in his own birth cord that the healers had feared that he would not survive, and his lack of crying did little to placate anyone in the room, but as everyone had watched anxiously, he had opened his eyes and blinked calmly around the room, as though he were simply taking in his new living arrangements and getting familiar with everyone.

The action alone was so _reserved_ that, once the healers assured you both that everything was okay and he was perfectly healthy and had left the two of you to get to know your new son, you’d laughed with Hela about it.

“Oh, that can’t be your son. He came into this world with a silence I’ve never known you to have,” you’d teased, laughing softly when Hela rolled her eyes and scowled playfully, if a little tiredly.

“I didn’t spend twelve hours laboring to bring him into this world for him to not be my son,” she’d murmured, with no bite to her tone at all as she’d gently adjusted the blanket around his tiny little sleeping form.

“…we’ll have to watch him, as he grows. He was so early, he might have trouble later.”

“He might. But I’ll love him no matter what, as I do you.”

You’d smiled then, and kissed her forehead softly before moving back to help her get comfortable. “Sleep… I’ll watch over the both of you. I promise.”

Before you’d known it, your son was babbling and crawling, and then he was walking and talking, and for all your concern that his rough and abrupt entry into the world would have long-term effects on him, he was only slightly smaller than average, and seemed to be determined not to let that get in his way.

And now you were in the present, with your four year old son still just as much Hela’s opposite as he’d been when he was born, and despite all of her best efforts, he didn’t seem to hold much interest for _anything_ that his birthmother did.

Where she was all cool remarks and thick skin, he was soft-spoken and sensitive, and it took very little to upset him to the point of tears. Where Hela had been raised on the battlefield from the ripe age of four, Frey simply held no interest of anything of the sort, much preferring to sit with you and listen to you read him stories or walk him through the halls of the palace and tell him the histories of the various paintings and murals on the walls.

For as much as you loved how absolutely _gentle_ he was, though, you could tell it was something that was weighing much more heavily on Hela.

As you tucked him in for the night with a kiss to the forehead and a soft lullaby, you noticed Hela hanging back in the doorway, staying there as you made sure he was asleep before standing and crossing over to her so that you could both exit the room as you closed the door.

When she still said nothing as you reached for her hand to hold as you walked down the hall, you nodded to yourself, strengthening your resolve as you closed the door behind you once you’d reached your bedchambers.

“Hela, it isn’t the end of the world because he doesn’t wish to partake in war, you know.” You said it as carefully as you could, knowing that the subject would be touchy for Hela, and by the way you noticed her tense just the slightest bit, you knew you’d hit a sore spot.

For a long while, neither of you said anything, as you went to the bed to start turning down the blankets, and Hela started to undo the laces of her corset on the opposite side of the room. Just when you’d decided to apologize for speaking out of turn, though, Hela heaved a quiet sigh, and you turned so that you could give her your full attention.

“I just wish we had more in common. I feel like I’m not being the best mother that I could be for him.”

You felt a little part of your heart break at the defeated tone of her voice, and you stopped what you were doing, instead moving to circle to the other side of the bed where Hela stood, and taking over where she’d left off with her half-undone laces.

“Hela, that’s silly talk. You’re a _perfect_ mother. You teach him things, and you spend time with him, with _us_. You’re present and loving, and so what if he doesn’t have exactly the same interests as you do? Do you think that stops him from loving you?”

Hela said nothing for a long moment, and then shook her head, almost as though she were embarrassed, and you just smiled softly, pressing a kiss to her shoulder as you finished with the laces, letting her corset drop to the floor as you turned her to face you, cupping her cheek and smiling when she took the opportunity to press a kiss to your palm.

“Then why would _you_ think that it matters to him?” You brushed your fingers over the curve of her cheek, looking up at her with all the love in the world. “You’re a _wonderful_ mother. And yes, he’s quiet and reserved, and he prefers paintbrushes and books over swords and shields, but Hela… He’s just a _boy_. Surely you don’t want him to follow in the same footsteps your father made you take. We both know how heavily that’s weighed on you, even now.”

Hela bowed her head ashamedly, but you only brought your other hand up, so that you were cupping her face with both hands as you leaned up to kiss her gently, pressing your foreheads together before speaking again.

“Let him be a child, while he _can_ be a child. And if somewhere along the line, he shows interest in war and roughness and the like, then… we’ll figure it out, when it happens. But I don’t want you to think that you’re less of a mother because you aren’t like him, or that he’s less of your son because he isn’t like _you_.”

Hela shook her head immediately, and opened her eyes to look at you. “I don’t. I could… _never_ think that. He’s the most perfect, sweet, _angelic_ little thing, and I’m so happy to have him.”

You smiled, and kissed her cheek softly before wrapping your arms around her. “…then you don’t have anything else to worry about. Yes?”

“…I suppose maybe I _was_ just overthinking it all.”

You hummed softly, and drew back so you could help her finish undressing. “And just for that, I’m ordering you take a nice, long, relaxing bath before bed.”

Hela grinned a bit, and you could tell she was starting to feel a little better just by the gleam in her eyes.

“Oh, and not because you maybe wanted to see me naked or anything, hm?”

Despite being married for years now, the tease still brought a blush to your cheeks, and you wrinkled your nose as you looked up at her.

“Maybe just a little bit.”

“Mm, that’s what I thought.”

* * *

By the time the two of you made it out of the bath and got dressed in your nightgowns, you made it back into your bedroom just in time to see little Frey hesitate at the doorway, rubbing at his eyes with one hand, and the other tucked halfway into his mouth.

“What’s the matter, darling, couldn’t sleep?” Hela had already crossed the room as she spoke, and when he nodded and reached for her with a hand, she was quick to scoop him, pressing a kiss to the top of his head as he snuggled up. “Well, you know what, mama and I would just _love it_ if you slept in here with us tonight.”

“That’s true, we were just saying how we missed you so much we weren’t sure _how_ we were going to make it until morning.”

That got Frey to give a tearful little laugh, and you patted the bed and pulled the covers back so that Hela and Frey could get in next to you, and Hela cuddled right up, so that the three of you could be as close as comfortably possible.

“Is that better, my little love?” you whispered softly, kissing the top of his head as he stayed snuggled up to Hela, and you smiled softly when you saw him give the faintest little nod, already clearly on his way back to sleep. “I love you…” You looked up to Hela then, heart melting when you saw just how lovingly she was watching Frey. “And I love you. Always.”

Hela murmured the same back to you, settling down comfortably as you blew out the candle on the bedside table, and as you cuddled back up with your little family, you couldn’t help but to notice how _complete_ and _perfect_ it felt.

You hoped nothing would ever change that.

**Author's Note:**

> As always, thank you for reading!


End file.
